Is Akin Toast?

Let's start with two pretty good axioms to follow. People can say some totally crazy crap and see it have relatively little effect on their poll numbers. People do things that are so toxic that they are not only bad for them but bad for their whole party and yet it's still really, really, really hard to pry these folks free and get them to step aside and let someone else run.

I mean, really, really hard.

There were several 2010 candidates -- including at least a couple running for senate -- who totally imploded and yet it was still impossible to get them to step aside. These are nominations people have often worked their whole lives for. You don't just walk away even if a rational analysis says you're done.

I checked what some people I consider key GOP operatives were saying on Twitter just now and they're running for the hills a bit more than I'd expected. To be more specific, they're advising all GOP candidates to disavow Akin as quickly as possible (no big surprise there) and don't seem particularly optimistic he can even stay in the race (that does sort of surprise me).

For the moment, put me down as pretty skeptical he gets pushed out of the race. But we should know by tomorrow morning whether there's a concerted effort to push him out.